Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Thank you all for your prayers regarding our latest storm damage. We ended up without power for about 2 1/2 days, and currently have about 16 inches of snow on the ground. Praise God that there was no other damage except our Waste Water Treatment Plant. We are currently working on getting a short term fix into place at the waste water facility, so that we can open camp up again. Through a friend of the camp, God has provided two storage tanks at no cost, and we will also be able to use the old water pressure tank that we had to replace a few months ago, to set up a temporary waste water treatment system.

From that point, we plan to raise the main treatment plant using a crane, dig out the dirt that displaced the tank during the flooding, and reposition and repair the facility. As we pass from winter into spring, it will be our priority to reset this system before our number of guests picks up from spring into summer. At this point, we are still unsure of the costs that this repair will involve, however, it has been confirmed that it will not be covered by our insurance.

We are anticipating holding our Winter X camp this weekend as long as the weather holds and the temporary instillation can be completed.

Please continue to pray as we make crucial decisions over the next few days and weeks. Please pray that God will provide the funding needed for these repairs. God is good and we know He has a purpose for all of this, we are just waiting to see what it is!

The treatment plant should be level and the rim below the railing should be 4" above the ground

This picture is looking up to the camp. The water from the camp came down the hillside and caused the flooding that lifted the tank out of the ground like a ship!

This is looking toward the grass field. The pipes going in and out of the tanks are all broken.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Last night, Prescott, as well as much of the rest of the state, experienced severe rain storms, followed by additional snow storms today. As a result of the rain and flooding, the Waste Water Treatment Facility at the camp was heavily damaged. We are unable to run camp until this damage is repaired and the state gives the approval on our continued use of the treatment plant. We are meeting with our insurance agents to discuss our options, however, since it appears that flooding was the cause of the damage, it is looking doubtful that our insurance policy will cover the repairs and down time. The camp currently has 10-12 inches of snow on the ground, and we have been without power for 24hrs.

Please Pray

That the power would be restored soon.

That the new storms predicted for the next several days, will cause no further damage.

That the camp staff and leadership would have wisdom in deciding what direction to take next.

Thank you for your faithful prayers. We will keep you updated as we know more.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Over the past several years, Outdoor Education has become a big part of what we do at Prescott Pines. Between September and November of 2009, we had 18 of these camps and served 15 different schools - most of which are from the Phoenix Metro area! 8 of those camp were level 3 programs, this means that the school chose for us to do everything. We do the planning and scheduling, teach all of the classes and run their entire camp! A lot of work but so rewarding, especially when we read/heard some of the comments below:

"Thank you so much for all you gave for us to have such a wonderful experience!" Ashley Grimm, teacher at Gateway Pointe

"Thank you so much! That is my all-time favorite trip! Honestly, I liked it so much, I want to live there!" Kara - Student

"Thank you for working hard so make us have fun and for building teamwork. People really worked together!" Madeline - student

"You guys were amazing! This was definitely one of the most gratest times of my life. Thank you so much for letting us come to Prescott Pines. I really wish we stayed longer! I am 100% sure I'm not gonna forget science camp. My brother can't wait to be in 6th grade to go to Prescott Pines. Thanks so much and keep up the good work." Jasmine - Student

"Thank you for making this field trip possible and for teaching us. This trip is one I'll never forget." Gavin - Student

ODE at Prescott Pines is filled with a ton of learning and every second is a moment of fun to be had. We fill our classes with engaging activities that keep the kids busy and enjoying themselves while not realizing that they are learning! As you can read, the whole experience is a big hit and we as a staff are incredibly grateful. You see, we mainly have public schools come visit us so we see it as a way to expose kids to a Christian environment, not only by our actions but each student is given a brochure for our Winter or Summer camps where they will actually be taught the gospel. We also try to be a help to Christian teachers who see their school as a mission field. Just another way for us as a staff to use what God has given us for His glory.